The Chilling Reddit Confession That May Have Solved a 1988 Cold Case: Scott Schulte's Disappearance
Reddit offers a unique platform for anonymous sharing, allowing users to disclose personal experiences they might otherwise keep private. The veil of anonymity can be both a blessing and a curse, enabling genuine confessions but also creating space for fictional tales. In January 2016, a chilling post appeared on AskReddit titled "To those who have accidentally killed someone, what went wrong?" Among thousands of responses, one particularly disturbing comment stood out.
The now-deleted user described an incident from the 1980s involving a confrontation with a "weird, creepy kid" at a dirt cliff hideout. According to the post, the child fell during the altercation and was found bleeding from the mouth in an awkward position. When another commenter asked if this story related to Scott Schulte, a 9-year-old boy who disappeared in 1988 in St. Charles, Missouri, the original poster immediately deleted their account. Scott had last been seen walking near wooded areas before a violent storm hit the region. Despite extensive searches including bloodhounds, helicopters, and cave explorations, his body was never recovered.
Key Takeaways
Anonymous online platforms create environments where individuals may reveal genuine confessions or fabricate stories for attention.
Unsolved missing persons cases can unexpectedly intersect with online confessions, raising questions about real-world connections.
Environmental factors like storms and terrain features can significantly complicate search efforts and potentially conceal evidence in missing persons cases.
The Allure of Anonymity on Reddit
Reddit provides a unique space where users can share personal experiences without revealing their identities. This anonymity creates an environment where individuals feel comfortable divulging information they might otherwise keep private. The platform's structure encourages openness while simultaneously allowing users to maintain distance from their real-world personas.
This freedom to share without consequences has led to some remarkably candid confessions. In January 2016, an Ask Reddit thread titled "To those who have accidentally killed someone, what went wrong?" garnered significant attention with over 6,800 upvotes and 10,000 comments.
One particularly notable response came from a user who described an incident from the 1980s involving a group of children and their "hideout" in a dirt cliff. The poster recounted how they and friends confronted another child—described as possibly having had a disability—who had occupied their space. During the confrontation, the child fell from the cliff and was found bleeding from the mouth in an awkward position.
The poster admitted they and their friends fled the scene and never spoke of it again. They included a vague image of a cliff with a dirt trail that didn't reveal specific identifying details.
What transformed this anonymous confession into something more concerning was a reply from another user who asked if the story concerned Scott Cley Sheltie. The original poster promptly deleted their account after this comment.
Scott Allen Cley Sheltie, a 9-year-old boy with learning difficulties, disappeared on August 6, 1988, in St. Charles, Missouri. He was last seen walking near his home before a violent storm hit the area. Despite extensive searches with bloodhounds, police investigations of local tunnels and caves, and creek searches, his body was never recovered.
The timing and circumstances align disturbingly with the anonymous Reddit confession:
Both incidents occurred in the 1980s
Both involved a child described as having possible disabilities
Both happened in areas with significant terrain features like cliffs or ravines
A storm occurred around the time of Scott's disappearance, potentially explaining why a body might not have been found
When examining the geography, Scott was last seen near a wooded area known as "the trails" close to his home on Laberne's Drive. Fox Hill Park in St. Charles had steep gorges and dirt trails in the 1990s, about a mile from where Scott was last seen. Before Interstate 370 was constructed, this area would have been accessible by foot.
The anonymity Reddit provides allowed this user to potentially confess to involvement in an actual disappearance case. Whether the confession was genuine remains unverifiable—precisely because of the anonymity that made the revelation possible in the first place.
Dissecting the Motive: Attention vs. Authenticity
Online platforms with anonymous posting features create environments where users share personal stories that would otherwise remain private. This anonymity serves as both a shield and an invitation for candid revelations that range from deeply authentic to completely fabricated.
The question of motive becomes central when examining controversial posts. While skepticism is healthy when browsing platforms like Reddit, certain stories demand closer scrutiny due to their disturbing implications.
In January 2016, an Ask Reddit thread titled "To those who have accidentally killed someone, what went wrong?" attracted significant attention with over 6,800 upvotes and 10,000 comments. One particularly troubling response came from a user who immediately deleted their account after posting.
The Deleted Confession
The anonymous poster described an incident from the 1980s involving a confrontation with a "weird, creepy kid" (whom they later acknowledged was likely developmentally disabled) at their childhood hideout in a dirt cliff area. According to their account:
Three children confronted the "creepy kid" who was sitting in their "guard chair"
An altercation occurred involving thrown dirt clods and sticks
The confrontation ended with the disabled child falling from a significant height
The poster recalled blood coming from the boy's mouth as he lay in "an awkward position"
The children fled and never spoke of the incident again
What transformed this disturbing but potentially fictional confession into something more sinister was a reply from another user asking if the story involved Scott Cle Schulte - prompting the immediate deletion of the original poster's account.
The Real Missing Child
Scott Allen Cle Schulte, a 9-year-old boy with learning disabilities, disappeared on August 6, 1988, in St. Charles, Missouri. He was last seen walking down Ken Drive toward West Adams from his family's home on Laverne Drive. A violent storm hit the area shortly after his disappearance.
Despite extensive search efforts including:
Bloodhounds tracking his path for five miles
Police searching tunnels and caves
Draining nearby streams and creeks
No trace of Scott was ever found, and the case remains unsolved to this day.
Geographical Connections
The geographical details align disturbingly well with the confession. Scott was last seen near a wooded area known as "the trails" where neighborhood children played. The location described as Fox Hill Park in St. Charles had dirt trails and several steep gorges in the 1990s, accessible by foot from Scott's last known location.
The physical description in the Reddit post of a dirt cliff "three times taller" than the image shared and "about ten times as wide" matches accounts of the deep ravines in the direction Scott was last seen walking.
The timing also aligns with the confession's reference to "the 80s" and the storm mentioned could explain why a body was never recovered despite extensive searches.
This convergence of details raises troubling questions about whether the anonymous post represented a genuine confession to an unresolved crime or an elaborate fiction based on a real missing persons case.
The Remarkable Story of a Redditor's Confession
In January 2016, an Ask Reddit thread posed a haunting question: "To those who have accidentally killed someone, what went wrong?" Among thousands of responses, one comment stood out—not just for its disturbing content, but for what happened afterward.
An anonymous Redditor shared a chilling childhood memory from the 1980s. They described how they and two friends had confronted a "weird, creepy kid" who had invaded their hideout in a tall dirt cliff. After an argument escalated, the confrontation ended with the other child falling from the cliff.
"I still remember the sound," the Redditor wrote. "When we got back down to check on him, he was in a very awkward position with blood coming out of his mouth." The terrified children fled the scene and never spoke of the incident again.
What transformed this disturbing confession into something more was a reply from another user who asked if the story involved Scott Cle Schulte. Immediately afterward, the original poster deleted their entire account.
The Scott Cle Schulte Case:
Disappeared: August 6, 1988
Age: 9 years old
Location: St. Charles, Missouri
Last seen: Walking down Ken Drive toward West Adams
Notable circumstance: A violent storm hit the area shortly after his disappearance
Scott had learning difficulties and was last spotted playing outside before a thunderstorm struck the area. Despite extensive searches involving bloodhounds, police, and community volunteers, no trace of him was ever found.
The geography matches disturbingly well with the Redditor's account. Former residents identified Fox Hill Park in St. Charles as having steep dirt cliffs and gorges in the 1980s and 1990s, just over a mile from where Scott was last seen. These ravines align with the direction Scott was walking.
The Redditor's description of media coverage also aligns with reality—suggesting a small article with minimal details, which was common for the pre-internet era. By connecting these dots, many believe this anonymous confession might have finally revealed what happened to Scott Cle Schulte.
Analyzing the Viral Reddit Thread and Its Impact
In January 2016, an Ask Reddit thread titled "To those who have accidentally killed someone, what went wrong?" gained significant traction with over 6,800 upvotes and 10,000 comments. One particularly disturbing response came from a user who described an incident from the 1980s involving a group of children and another child they described as "weird" or "creepy," who they believed may have had a mental disability.
The user's story detailed a confrontation at a dirt cliff hideout that resulted in the other child falling to his death. After checking on the injured child and seeing blood coming from his mouth, the poster and friends fled the scene and never spoke of it again. The Reddit user included an image of a cliff with a dirt trail in a rural area as reference.
What transformed this anonymous confession into something more sinister was a reply from another user asking if the story concerned Scott Klie Shulte. Shortly after this question, the original poster deleted their entire account, raising suspicions about the confession's authenticity and potential connection to a real case.
Scott Klie Shulte was a 9-year-old boy with learning difficulties who disappeared on August 6, 1988, in St. Charles, Missouri. He was last seen walking down Ken Drive toward West Adams from his family home on Laverne's Drive. A violent storm hit the area shortly after his disappearance, potentially explaining why his body was never recovered despite extensive search efforts including:
Bloodhounds tracking his path for five miles
Police searches of tunnels and caves
Examination of nearby streams and creeks
The geography described in the Reddit post aligns disturbingly well with the area where Scott disappeared. Fox Hill Park in St. Charles had dirt trails and steep gorges in the 1990s, located just over a mile by foot from Scott's last known location. A deep ravine lies directly in the direction the child was walking, creating a plausible scenario for a fall matching the Reddit user's description.
The timing, location details, and description of the victim all create an unsettling correlation between the anonymous confession and this long-unsolved missing persons case. The sudden deletion of the Reddit account following the specific mention of Scott's name further fuels speculation about whether this was truly a confession to a decades-old accidental death that has remained unreported until now.
Investigation into the Disappearance of Scott Kleschulte
On August 6, 1988, nine-year-old Scott Allen Kleschulte vanished after returning home from the last day of school in St. Charles, Missouri. The first-grader, who had learning difficulties, changed his clothes and then went out to play in the nearby woods. He was last spotted around 4:30 p.m. walking down Ken Drive towards West Adams from his family home on LaVernes Drive.
Shortly after Scott's departure, a violent thunderstorm swept through the area. This weather event may have played a crucial role in why search efforts were unsuccessful in locating the child. Despite extensive searches that included bloodhounds tracking his path for five miles northeast, police examining tunnels and caves, and teams searching streams and creeks, no trace of Scott was ever found.
The search effort was comprehensive:
Bloodhounds tracked a scent trail for 5 miles
Police searched local caves and tunnels
Waterways were thoroughly examined
Helicopters and mounted officers joined ground teams
Scott's older sister Stacey was among the last family members to see him. According to her account, she observed him playing at the top of the hill in their neighborhood before his disappearance. The community where they lived featured both residential areas and nearby farmlands with trails where children frequently played.
A significant area of interest in the case is a location now known as Fox Hill Park, which in the 1980s featured dirt trails and steep gorges. This area, a little over a mile by foot from Scott's last sighting, matches the direction he was walking and contains deep ravines and cliffs. The site has since been developed with some grading and stormwater management areas, but notable cliff features remain visible.
In January 2016, an anonymous Reddit post caught attention in a thread asking people who had accidentally killed someone to share their stories. The post described an incident from the 1980s where neighborhood children confronted a "weird creepy kid" who had occupied their hideout in a dirt cliff. During the confrontation, the child fell, with blood coming from his mouth. The children fled and never spoke of the incident again.
When another Reddit user specifically asked if the incident involved Scott Kleschulte, the original poster promptly deleted their account. This sudden deletion raised questions about whether the anonymous post might have inadvertently revealed the truth behind the decades-old disappearance.
The Potential Connection: Reddit Account and Real-World Case
In January 2016, an Ask Reddit thread titled "To those who have accidentally killed someone, what went wrong?" gained significant traction with over 6,800 upvotes and 10,000 comments. One particular response stood out—a user described a disturbing childhood incident from the 1980s involving a confrontation with a "weird creepy kid" (whom they retrospectively acknowledged might have had a disability) at their hideout in a dirt cliff.
According to the post, the confrontation escalated when the child refused to leave their "guard chair," resulting in him falling from the cliff. The user described finding the boy in "an awkward position with blood coming from his mouth" before fleeing the scene. They noted that they and their friends never spoke of the incident again.
What transformed this anonymous confession into something more troubling was a reply from another user asking if the story was about Scott CLE Schulte. Remarkably, the original poster deleted their account shortly after this question appeared.
The Scott CLE Schulte Case:
Missing since: August 6, 1988
Age at disappearance: 9 years old
Location: St. Charles, Missouri
Last seen: Walking near wooded area called "the trails"
Circumstance: Disappeared just before a severe thunderstorm
The parallels between the Reddit confession and the Schulte case are striking. Scott, a boy with learning difficulties, disappeared after going to play in a wooded area. Extensive searches involving bloodhounds, exploration of tunnels and caves, and drainage of creeks yielded no results. The storm that occurred shortly after his disappearance could explain why a body might not have been found if the child had fallen in a remote location.
Geographical analysis supports this possibility. The area where Scott was last seen contained steep gorges and dirt trails. Fox Hill Park in St. Charles, about a mile from Scott's last known location, featured terrain matching the Reddit user's description—dirt trails with several steep gorges. The route Scott was taking led toward a deep ravine.
The timing matches the Reddit user's "80s" timeframe, and the description of the victim as "probably mentally handicapped in some way" aligns with Scott's learning difficulties. The poster's reference to media coverage as "a small article in the newspaper B section" is consistent with how a child's disappearance might have been reported in 1988, before the era of 24-hour news cycles.
The rapid deletion of the Reddit account following the specific mention of Scott CLE Schulte raises further questions about this possible connection.
Reviewing Details: The Cliffs and the Storm
On January 21, 2016, an anonymous Reddit post attracted significant attention when a user shared a disturbing confession about an incident from the 1980s. The post described a confrontation between neighborhood children and a "weird, creepy kid" at a dirt cliff hideout that ended tragically. According to the account, the confrontation escalated when the outsider child fell from the cliff, and the group fled the scene after seeing him injured with blood coming from his mouth.
The post gained over 6,800 upvotes and 10,000 comments. What transformed this confession from a troubling anecdote to something more significant was a reply from another user who specifically asked if the story concerned Scott Cle Schulte. Following this question, the original poster deleted their account immediately.
Scott Allen Cle Schulte disappeared on August 6, 1988, in St. Charles, Missouri. The 9-year-old boy, who had learning difficulties, was last seen around 4:30 PM walking down Ken Drive toward West Adams from his family home on Laverne's Drive. Shortly after Scott went missing, a violent storm hit the area, potentially complicating search efforts.
Key Timeline Events:
Scott returned home from school to change clothes
He was last spotted around 4:30 PM heading toward wooded areas
A significant storm occurred immediately after his disappearance
Despite extensive searches, his body was never recovered
The search for Scott was comprehensive. Bloodhounds tracked his path for approximately five miles northeast before losing his scent. Police searched tunnels, caves, streams, and creeks in the area, but found no trace of the boy.
Geographic analysis reveals important details about the area. Scott was last seen near a wooded area known as "the trails." The location described as Fox Hill Park in St. Charles had steep gorges and dirt cliffs in the 1990s. This area was accessible by foot from Scott's last known location, as Interstate 370 hadn't been constructed yet.
A deep ravine exists directly in the direction Scott was walking, corresponding with the cliff description from the Reddit confession. This geographical alignment strengthens the possibility that Scott may have fallen in the area described in the anonymous post.
The case remains unresolved, with Scott's family still seeking closure decades later. His brother recalled the day of disappearance in a Nancy Grace interview, describing how they initially thought Scott might be sheltering from the storm at a friend's house before reality set in.
The proximity of farmlands and trails just minutes from their neighborhood matches details from both the Reddit confession and official accounts of Scott's disappearance.
DNA Doe Project | Missing Since August 6, 1988 | St. Charles, Missouri
Mapping the Last Known Location and Search Efforts
The disappearance of Scott Allen Cle Sheltie on August 6, 1988, prompted extensive search operations in St. Charles, Missouri. The 9-year-old boy was last seen around 4:30 PM walking down Ken Drive toward West Adams from his family home on Laverne's Drive. Shortly after his disappearance, a violent storm hit the area, potentially complicating both his whereabouts and subsequent search efforts.
Law enforcement utilized bloodhounds that tracked Scott's path for approximately five miles northeast before losing his scent. Police conducted thorough searches of nearby tunnels and caves, and examined streams and creeks in the vicinity, especially after the heavy rainfall. Despite these efforts, no trace of Scott was found.
The search location focused on an area known locally as "the trails" - a wooded region near Scott's home where neighborhood children frequently played. This area featured:
Steep dirt cliffs and ravines
Cave systems and tunnels
Multiple trails through wooded terrain
Geographic analysis suggests Fox Hill Park in St. Charles could be significant to the case. This location had steep gorges and dirt trails in the 1990s and sits approximately one mile by foot from Scott's last known position. Notably, a deep ravine lies directly in the path of the direction Scott was walking when last seen.
The search for Scott was comprehensive, incorporating:
Bloodhound tracking teams
Helicopter aerial surveys
Mounted horseback searchers
Large-scale ground teams
Police continued intensive search operations for up to six weeks following his disappearance, including excavation work in the cave systems within the wooded hillside. The area has undergone development since the 1980s, altering some of the original landscape features, including the construction of Route I-370 which wasn't present at the time of the disappearance.
Evaluating the Theory: An Accident Covered by Nature
The 2016 Ask Reddit thread titled "To those who have accidentally killed someone, what went wrong?" sparked significant intrigue when one user shared a disturbing childhood memory. The commenter described an incident from the 1980s involving a confrontation with a neighborhood child, described as "weird" or "creepy," at their hideout in a tall dirt cliff. According to the account, an altercation ensued when the neighborhood children demanded the boy leave their "guard chair."
The confrontation escalated with the boy throwing dirt clods and sticks. During the subsequent chase, the boy fell from the cliff. The poster recalled blood coming from the boy's mouth as he lay in an "awkward position." Frightened, the children fled and never spoke of the incident again.
What transformed this anonymous confession into something more significant was a reply from another user asking if the story concerned Scott Clie Shulte. Notably, the original poster immediately deleted their account after this question appeared.
Scott Allen Clie Shulte disappeared on August 6, 1988, in St. Charles, Missouri. The 9-year-old boy, who had learning difficulties, was last seen walking down Ken Drive toward West Adams from his home on Laverne's Drive around 4:30 PM. A violent storm swept through the area shortly after he went missing.
Key facts about the disappearance include:
Bloodhounds tracked Scott's path for approximately 5 miles before losing his scent
The area contained numerous tunnels, caves, and wooded hillsides
The storm may explain why a body was never recovered
No closure has been reached in the case to this day
Geographic analysis reveals the area had several steep gorges and dirt trails in the 1980s. The location now known as Fox Hill Park once featured dirt cliffs and deep ravines—terrain that matches the Reddit user's description. This park sits just over a mile from where Scott was last seen.
The timeline, location details, and circumstances described in the Reddit post align disturbingly well with Scott's disappearance. The original poster's immediate account deletion following the mention of Scott's name further suggests a potential connection between the confession and this decades-old missing person case.
Examining maps of the area reveals a deep ravine in the direction Scott was walking when last seen. This topographical feature would match the described accident location—a dirt cliff where a fatal fall could occur and a subsequent storm might conceal evidence.
The Role of Media in Missing Person Cases
Media plays a crucial role in how missing person cases are reported and remembered. In the past, particularly during the 1980s, coverage of missing persons was significantly different from today's standards. Local newspapers might only dedicate a small article in a secondary section, with headlines like "Missing Child Found Dead After Fall" receiving minimal attention.
The evolution of media has transformed how these cases gain visibility. Before the internet age, many incidents remained localized, known only to those in the immediate community. This limited exposure often meant cases received less scrutiny and public awareness.
Internet platforms have revolutionized how missing person information spreads. Sites like Reddit provide spaces where individuals can share firsthand accounts, sometimes revealing details previously unknown to investigators. These platforms allow for both anonymous posting and community investigation.
When examining online discussions about missing persons, maintaining healthy skepticism is important. While some posts contain valuable information, others may be fabricated or embellished. The anonymity of the internet creates both opportunities for truth-telling and platforms for fiction.
The Scott Klee Schulte case demonstrates this media evolution. His 1988 disappearance in St. Charles, Missouri received limited coverage initially. The nine-year-old boy with learning difficulties vanished after wandering into nearby woods to play, just before a severe storm hit the area.
Despite extensive search efforts including:
Bloodhound tracking for five miles
Police searches of tunnels and caves
Examination of local streams and creeks
No trace of Scott was ever found. The storm that occurred immediately after his disappearance may explain why recovery efforts were unsuccessful.
Years later, the case gained renewed attention through television coverage on programs like Nancy Grace, where Scott's brother described the day of the disappearance. He recalled approximately 100 children living in their neighborhood, with farmlands and trails just minutes from their home.
Geographic analysis of Scott's last known location reveals he was last seen near the 3300 block of LaBarns Drive close to a wooded area called "the trails." This area contained steep gorges and dirt trails in the 1980s-1990s, with deep ravines in the direction Scott was last seen walking.
Modern media's ability to preserve and resurface cold cases demonstrates a significant improvement over previous eras. What might have remained a briefly mentioned tragedy can now be examined decades later, allowing for new perspectives and potentially valuable information to emerge.
Public Response and Continuing Search for Answers
The disappearance of Scott Allen Clieshulte in 1988 continues to generate substantial online discussion decades later. In January 2016, an Ask Reddit thread titled "To those who have accidentally killed someone, what went wrong?" received over 6,800 upvotes and 10,000 comments. One anonymous user shared a disturbing story about a childhood incident involving a "weird creepy kid" who fell from a dirt cliff hideout after a confrontation in the 1980s.
The commenter described how they and two friends discovered this child sitting in their "guard chair" atop the cliff. After an exchange of threats and thrown objects, the confrontation escalated. The user recounted that the child fell, was found bleeding from the mouth in an awkward position, and the witnesses fled in panic. They never spoke of the incident again.
What transformed this concerning confession into something more significant was another user's direct question: was this story about Scott Clieshulte? The original poster promptly deleted their account after this connection was made.
Scott Clieshulte disappeared on August 6, 1988, in St. Charles, Missouri. The 9-year-old boy with learning difficulties had just finished first grade. He was last seen walking from his home on Laverne's Drive toward West Adams on Ken Drive around 4:30 pm before a violent storm hit the area.
Despite extensive search efforts involving:
Bloodhounds tracking his path for five miles
Police searches of tunnels and caves
Examination of streams and creeks
No trace of Scott was ever found. The timing of the storm potentially explains why a body might never have been recovered if the child had fallen from a height.
Scott's brother later recounted on Nancy Grace's program that the last family member to see Scott was their older sister Stacey, who observed him "playing and running around being a kid" at the top of their street. The neighborhood, while developed, was just minutes away from farmlands, fields, and trails.
The area where Scott disappeared contained several steep gorges and dirt trails. One user identified a specific location, now Fox Hill Park in St. Charles, that had steep gorges in the 1990s and was about a mile by foot from Scott's last known location. This park area, which has since been partially developed, contained cliffs and a deep ravine directly in the path the child was walking.
These geographical details lend credibility to the anonymous Reddit confession, raising questions about whether this decades-old mystery might have been inadvertently solved through an anonymous online confession.
Creating a Hypothesis: Connecting Multiple Data Sources
When examining unresolved cases, cross-referencing multiple information sources can reveal compelling patterns. The 2016 Reddit post about an accidental childhood death shares striking similarities with Scott Klee Schulte's 1988 disappearance in St. Charles, Missouri.
Key parallels emerge when comparing these accounts. The deleted Reddit post described an incident involving a "mentally handicapped" child who fell from a dirt cliff hideout in the 1980s. This detail aligns with Scott's learning difficulties and his known habit of playing in wooded areas with steep terrain.
Timeline and Location Analysis:
Scott disappeared August 6, 1988 (late 1980s)
Last seen walking toward wooded area with trails
Area contained caves, tunnels, and ravines
Violent storm occurred shortly after disappearance
The Redditor's description of a tall, wide dirt cliff closely matches geographical features identified by local residents. Fox Hill Park in St. Charles reportedly had "dirt trails in several steep gorges" in the 1990s, approximately a mile from Scott's last known location.
Weather conditions provide another significant data point. The storm mentioned in the Reddit post could explain why search teams never located Scott's body despite extensive efforts including:
Bloodhound tracking (lost scent after 5 miles)
Cave and tunnel searches
Creek and stream examinations
The Reddit user's immediate account deletion following a comment specifically naming Scott Klee Schulte strengthens this potential connection. This reaction suggests the commenter may have correctly identified the incident.
Important geographic context: The area has undergone significant development since the 1980s, with Route I-370 construction altering accessibility. However, remnants of the deep ravines and cliffs still exist within the storm water management areas of today's Fox Hill Park.
While maintaining appropriate skepticism about anonymous online accounts, this case presents compelling circumstantial links that warrant serious consideration as a potential explanation for this decades-old missing person case.
